Agenda and minutes

Resolved:- That the minutes of the meeting held on 12^th January, 2009, be approved as a correct record.

- to consider attendance at the “Asperger Syndrome in Adults - Beyond Diagnosis” conference, to be held on Thursday 26th March 2009

Consideration was given to attendance at the “Asperger Syndrome in Adults – Beyond Diagnosis” conference which was to be held on Thursday 26^th March, 2009.

Resolved:- That approval be given for Councillor Hilda Jack to attend the conference.

Mark Scarrott, Finance Manager (Adult Services) presented the submitted report which provided a financial forecast for the Adult Services Department within Neighbourhoods and Adult Services Directorate to the end of March 2009 based on actual income and expenditure to the end of December 2008 and forecast costs and income to 31 March 2009.

The approved net budget was £68.5m which included the funding for demographic and existing budget pressures together with a number of efficiency savings identified through the 2008/09 budget setting process.

During the year there had been a number of budget pressures, mainly in respect of the delays in implementing shifting the balance of home care from in-house to the independent sector.  This had been as a result of the Council taking the decision to undertake a further round of consultation with Trade Unions and employees.  Cabinet approved a revised estimate for the service of £1m on 21 January 2009 and the latest report now showed a projected balanced budget by the end of the financial year, assuming the completion of shifting the balance to 65/35 was achieved.

There still remained underlying budget pressures within residential care within physical and sensory disabilities due to an increase in demand and the average cost of care packages, increased demand and cost of direct payments and increased energy costs.

These pressures were being offset by additional income from continuing health and care funding, slippage on developing supported living schemes within learning and disabilities and management actions identified from budget performance clinics.

The overall forecast outturn also included the impact of the delays in finalising the construction on the two new residential care homes.  The decommissioning of the five residential care home was now scheduled to commence at the end of January.  Any delays beyond that would impact on current financial projections and would be reported as soon as they were identified.

Budget clinics continued to take place with Service Directors and managers on a monthly basis to monitor financial performance against approved budget and to consider further options for managing expenditure within budget.

Resolved:- That the forecast balanced outturn against the revised budget for 2008/09 be noted.

Resolved:- That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (information relating to the financial or business affairs of any person (including the Council))

Resolved:-  That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, as amended.

Kim Curry, Director of Commissioning and Partnerships presented the submitted report which sought the agreement of Elected Members to the increase in fees to Independent Sector Residential and Nursing Care Providers for 2009/2010 in accordance with the established inflation formula.

Resolved:- That the report be received and the fee increases for residential and nursing care homes, as set out in paragraph 7 of the report be agreed and become effective from the 5^th April, 2009.

- 9^th February,2009 at 10.00 a.m.

Resolved:- That the next meeting be held on Monday 9 February 2009 commencing at 10.00 am.